Conditions
by mrsroryhuntzberger
Summary: Matt's second day back home after being abducted by Marduke involves a sick sister, an informative training session, and a lot of overall confusion and shock.


Hey guys. So I got some positive feedback from my last GOT fic- thank you guys so much I'm so happy you enjoyed it- so I ended up writing another one. This one takes place about a month after _The Named _and, to sum it up, it's Matt's first training session and he thinks everyone is crazy, more or less (can you blame him? His first encounter with the Guard almost killed him). Also, this is my first attempt at writing from Matt's POV as well as writing something hopefully humorous.

I hope you guys enjoy.

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**Matt**

I wake up dazed and disoriented, unsure of where I am at first before I remember I'm in my own bed and not in 'my room' in this place called the Citadel where I spent the past month recovering from my '_fun'_ time-travel experience. It's my first night back and despite my initial confusion I am, for the most part, thrilled to be home again. I add that 'for the most part' because the conditions I arrived to aren't exactly optimal.

For starters, my mum believes I spent the past month on some self-discovering journey in Europe after my breakup with Rochelle Thallimar, my ex-girlfriend who was only dating me in order to break up my friendship with Ethan Roberts, so she keeps asking me questions and I'm forced to bullshit some answer on the spot. It's only a matter of hours before she realizes I told her I visited the Palace Of Versailles when I was in Italy and the famed palace is in France; I was never good with geography and the only reason I even know the correct location is because her boyfriend overheard me and quickly pulled me off to the side to correct me.

Speaking of her boyfriend Jimmy it turns out he's a member of this Guard, this organization that travels through time and gets people's brothers kidnapped, and has been for years. He's been putting our lives in danger ever since he started dating my mum, and when I try to talk about it he brushes it to the side and says it's more complicated than it seems and I'll understand one day.

What does that mean?

I'd ask my sister but that brings me to another one of the conditions I've arrived home to: Isabel. My headstrong, stubborn as hell sister is sick and it's driving me up the walls. I wish someone told Arkarian, this guy with weirdly colored hair and eyes who was one of the people in charge of my healing, so he could've delayed my arrival home or at least given me a warning. Isabel is hell when she's sick. She's one of those people who won't let a little cold stop her from doing what she normally does. Just this morning she tried to convince me and Ethan that she was well enough to train just moments after throwing up in the toilet and almost falling down the stairs. To say her plan failed is an understatement. We dragged her back to her bed with her firing strange, fever-induced insults at us ("You sons of your mother pie holes!" and "Pee-pee dish butt heads" were just a few of them) while threatening to kick us both if we didn't put her down. We managed to get her in bed where she agreed to take a nap but only if we stopped by Arkarian's chambers and asked if it was possible to heal a sickness. Ethan agreed to this but not before pointing out she wasn't in any condition to heal herself. She rolled her eyes at this before kicking us out of her room so she could sleep.

This left Ethan, the final 'less-than-desirable' condition, and I awkwardly standing in the kitchen. I fixed us both some water as he explained what my training will ensure. From the sound of it, I'm about to spend the next few months in boot-camp.

After this brief explanation, we say our goodbyes to the bedridden, and head up the mountain to the famed chambers.

"Because you just got back we're going to spend today going over the basics of the Guard. I know they explained some of it to you when you were in the Citadel but Arkarian and I are going to go more in-depth and hopefully answer any questions you have." Ethan explains as we make the trek up the mountain.

I nod, noting that he sounds like Mr. Carter, and we continue to walk in silence. When we finally reach his chambers I am confused and pretty sure Ethan is trying to pull one on me. "This is a rock. What are we-" I start to ask before a door in the rock opens and the famed Arkarian is out greeting us.

We enter and I find his supposed chambers looking more like a hall with a bunch of doors, something out of _Harry Potter_. I assume we're going to go in one of the rooms but I'm instead lead down the hall until I'm face-to-face with the chamber Isabel told me about last night before her flu made everything she said gibberish.

It now looks like something out _Star Wars_ or _Star Trek_ with futuristic machines lite up and buzzing all around the room. The only thing that's quiet is a glowing sphere in the center of the room. I'm gawking at everything, I'm sure, but I can't help it. It's impressive, it's incredible, it's brilliant, but it's also terrifying and it makes me feel uncomfortable.

As if he can read my mind or sense my uneasiness in some way, Arkarian flicks his wrists and all the machines go quiet and their lights dim except for the sphere; it stays the way it is. With another flick of the wrist, three stools appear circling the sphere and he gestures for us to take a seat. I stare at the chair for a second before realizing I'm the only one standing and then I quickly take a seat. I'm sure I'm being rude and all, but how else am I supposed to react? I wonder how Isabel reacted when she first saw all of this, if it was anything like mine before coming to the conclusion that my sister's a weirdo and she probably thought this was all cool and amazing and wasn't bothered at all by the flashing lights or the humming of machines or the crazy, lite-up sphere, or the fact that a door was in a rock, or-

"Matt, are you okay?" Arkarian's concerned voice, Ethan's wide eyes, and the feel of the stool under my tight, anxious grip make me realize I'm freaking out over nothing, or at least I feel like I am. Ethan seems so relaxed and Arkarian probably lives here so-

Oh god, I'm talking to a guy who literally lives in a cave. What the hell have I gotten myself into?

They're waiting for my reply so I nod, and they both seem to relax a bit. Arkarian apologies for the machines, something about maintenance, and then begins to explain the Guard to me.

There's a lot to take in from a prophecy I already accidentally read that claims I'm the leader of this group called The Named (side note: what kind of name is that? Their name is literally name. What the hell?) to the fact that there are people who are immortal and that this blue-haired guy sitting in front of me is 600 but looks 18. Also, Ethan's sister was murdered and he saw it unfold when he was four, Isabel's been on a few missions already (Ethan was on those missions as well and explained a bit about each of them, giving Arkarian an odd look when he started talking about Isabel saving a young Abigail Adams for some reason), Ethan's been on a bunch of missions, they can only travel to the past and not the future (I'll admit this bummed me out a bit), and, again, Arkarian is a lot older than 18 (this just freaks me out in general).

I guess they both see that I'm a little overwhelmed by it all so they call it a day. Ethan and I are about to leave- we're halfway down the hallway- when he suddenly remembers Isabel's request.

"Hey Arkarian," Ethan calls out and he enters the hallway. "Isabel's sick and she wanted to know if it was possible to heal sickness."

Arkarian looks concerned by this and instead of answering asks, "How sick is she?"

Ethan shrugs, "I think it's the flu, right Matt?" he asks, turning to me.

I nod. "She threw up a lot earlier and I think she wants to get better sooner rather than latter so she can run a marathon or fight so guy or do what she does," I explain.

Arkarian chuckles at this and nods. "That makes sense." His smile drops and he goes back to what I assume is his normal serious self, still concerned about Isabel's well being and whether or not she can rid herself of the flu. "Well, I don't believe there is, but I'll ask around and see if I can find anything that can help. I suggest she try combating specific symptoms before moving on to the whole illness itself." He paused for a moment, almost unsure of how to phrase his next words, before continuing. "Nonetheless, I wish her a speedy recovery and send her my regards."

I nodded and thanked him before turning to Ethan who seemed amused by the conversation for some unknown reason. I didn't bother to ask him; I doubt it meant anything and I had bigger things to worry about like how I'm supposed to lead this group, when Isabel is going to get better, how there is a door in a rock, and what the hell has my life become.

Again, we walk in silence and I spend most of it fretting over everything that's happened and everything that will happen before we arrive at my house to find my mum making some soup for Isabel. We make polite small talk for a few minutes before going upstairs to check on Isabel who's sleeping peacefully but still has a fever. We wake her up and at first she's annoyed but when we tell her we talked to Arkarian she perks up and begins to bombard us with questions. We tell her everything Arkarian said and she considers our words.

"I'll see if I can heal my aches first then try the nausea." She thinks out loud, propping herself up so she's no longer lying down. "And then from there-"

"You'll take another nap," Ethan interrupts. "You can't heal yourself if you don't have any energy." She glares at him (no surprise) but he ignores her. "Besides, Arkarian said he'll try to find some way to help too, but if not you need to sleep." Isabel nods but I'm sure the words went in one ear and out the other, and I'll probably find her trying to train or something tomorrow while she tries to unsuccessfully heal herself. I let out a sigh at the thought. It's going to be a long day tomorrow.

Ethan looks at her clock then lets out a sigh of his own. "I should probably head home." He turns to me and says, "I'll be here tomorrow at 8 to start the physical part of your training. Isabel," she looks up at him expectedly. "Arkarian sends his regards and hopes you feel better."

She blushes at this for some reason before saying, "Well, um, if you see him before I do tell him I say thanks. If I see him, uh, don't tell him, I guess."

The same amused look Ethan had on his face right before we left Arkarian's is back and I still don't understand why. "I'll be sure to do so," He promises flashing us a grin before heading downstairs. I follow him and let him out before heading back upstairs.

Our mum's brought her some soup and I take a seat on the chair in the corner of her room.

"What'd you think?" she asks in between slurps of her soup.

"It's a lot," I admit. She nods, and I have no doubt she understands how I feel. It doesn't matter how intriguing she first found it, the concept of time travel and saving the future by going into the past is hard to wrap your head around at first.

"Did Ethan tell you Arkarian's a TruthMaster?" She inquires. I nod and she asks, "Do you know what that means?"

When I shake my head she asks me if I know all of Arkarian's skills. Besides agelessness I have no idea and I tell her that only to receive a look of pity.

"He has this calming touch, I'm not sure how it works but it makes you calm when you're freaking out." She pauses and looks down at her soup as she continues to speak. "He used it on me when you were kidnapped and I was really upset."

I feel a new level of respect forming for this strange man with this uncanny but useful skill. However, I know that if the roles were reverse I'd probably need to be given a tranquilizer as well as a calming touch.

She represses the memories of my abduction before explain more about this 600-year-old's powers. "He's a TruthMaster which means he's a truthseer which means he can read your mind."

My jaw drops. "What? Ethan didn't mention that!" Isabel laughs at my expression, and I mentally remind myself to kick Ethan at some point tomorrow or at least pull an Isabel and slap him on the arm for not telling me.

"He didn't tell me either," she confesses as a yawn escapes her mouth. A yawn leaves my lips as well and despite the lack of physical activity I am exhausted.

"I'll let you be. I'll see you in the morning." I get up and head to her door before turning back to face her. Right now she's leaning back content as can be but I know tomorrow she'll be pissed as hell when she wakes up sick again so I take in the calmness for a moment before saying, "Love you," and heading out the door.

I hear her call out "love you too!" and I head to my room, ready to crawl into bed and think about the hole I've fallen into, how, no matter how stupid and cliché it sounds, my life will never be the same again, and that out on the mountain there is a rock with a door on it and I'm still not sure how that, and everything else that has happened this past month, is possible.

I groan and collapse on my bed. This is going to be a long night.

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I wrote more than I expected to write but I hope you guys enjoyed it. To be honest, I'm not really sure where I was going after Ethan left so if it seems OOC sorry about that. In general, sorry if they're all OOC, especially Arkarian (he's nearly impossible to write). Also, I'm planning on writing more ArkarianxIsabel fics in the future, just to let you guys know since there wasn't much of them in this fic.

Like last time, if you can please let me know what you think but if you can't that's okay. Again, I hope you enjoyed it.


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